Monday, March 28, 2011

Never believe a rumour until it is officially denied. You know what they say about a sleazy or delicious sounding rumour: believe it only after the person or persons linked to it puts up a strenuously official denial. It’s an old dictum of politics that has been confirmed and re-confirmed many times over. The names of previous rumour models are many: DP Vijendran, Chua Soi Lek, Anwar Ibrahim rings a bell.

Usually, rumours made in Malaysia centre on the usual corruption and sex scandal. Sex scandals involving government leaders and officials are dished out every time there is an alignment of the planets, or if the powers-that-be want someone out even if that someone stubbornly and desperately clings to power.

However, corruption involving senior leaders of opposition parties is rarer than the Asian tsunami but when it comes, it is inundating and intoxicating, more so after they have received a taste of real power. Finally the DAP leaders understand now how their BN counterparts feel when they get accused with all kinds of treacherous allegations.

Check out the overflow of outrage after Ean Yong Hian Wah was fingered again in the inquiry for making false claims of investing in development for the people, but in actuality, reaping the funds for himself or his cohorts, all covertly from the Selangor Government.

The assemblyman for Sri Kembangan was all bluster and fury when denying the charges, repeated by MACC investigation unit head Hairul Ilham Hamzah when he was replying to questions posed by the RCI examiners.

That a DAP branch received an illegal cut from payments for state government projects in the Seri Kembangan constituency in 2008 is now difficult to prove because the true testimony that would nail Ean Yong died with Teoh Beng Hock, so much so that the MACC is unable to proceed with charging the DAP assemblyman, a situation reminiscent of movies of gangsters trying to protect their assets by eliminating evidence and witnesses.

The situation is intriguing: who stands to gain more from Teoh’s death? Not the MACC, now vilified by the DAP for what is essentially a cover up of the DAP’s corrupt deeds. It is fortuitously convenient, isn’t it, Teoh’s death?

The DAP’s complicity is more apparent after the father-son lawyer duo of Karpal Singh and Gobind Singh Deo kicked an unnecessary but almighty fuss - biased Attorney-General’s chambers, conflict of interest from a sitting judge who heads the RCI that tried to mask the DAP’s liability but instead enhanced their corrupt nature more glaringly.

The Singhs’ derailment plot failed because RCI chairman Tan Sri James Foong is not only tough and forthright but also shrewdly saw through the smokescreen.

He is still a candidate for Most Neutral Fellow of The Year who, like all of us except the frightened DAP leaders, is determine to find out just how exactly Teoh died.

Already three forensic scientists have established how Teoh did indeed die - from jumping out of a building, a suicide arising from immense guilt and shame of unwittingly exposing his DAP superiors with the evidence of fake invoices he kept inside his laptop.

Once Teoh realised the magnitude of his evidence and the fact that he spilled the beans more than he relished, he simply refused to go home even after the long hours of questioning by the MACC. Teoh even requested that he be given a resting place in MACC’s office, which the MACC obliged as simple courtesy, unaware of its deadly consequence.

Here’s a logical twist to Teoh’s behaviour. If he was abused as to what the DAP would like us to believe, then Teoh would have naturally fled the MACC office to the sanctuary of his DAP peers and then conduct the perfect photo opportunity for Opposition-friendly media, websites and blogs by lodging a police report from strength in numbers.

Besides, Teoh was getting married the next day. Why would he remain in the MACC’s office when he could be in the comfort of his fiancé? What was he so fearful of?

MP for Wangsa Maju Wee Choo Keong had steadfastly pointed out that the suicide established by three qualified forensic scientists was already a common knowledge between fearful DAP leaders. But if the truth was out, there goes the DAP neighbourhood and bang goes the dream of re-conquering Selangor in the next general election, scheduled for a slot maybe by mid-next year.

With suicide a likely verdict in the RCI, the bigger question would be is, how high does the DAP conspiracy go? Right now, all suspicion is on Ean Yong but he can’t be operating solo for a caper that extends to the millions. Someone else too within the Selangor DAP wants their cut.

Since only Teoh knew for sure, based on the documents he possessed, it will be the MACC’s responsibility to divulge them in the next few weeks. The DAP, whether they realised it or not, forced the MACC’s hand - the more the DAP tries to flash the spotlight of liability on the MACC, the more the DAP is exposed.

If the MACC has proof, then the law enforcement agency should charge the guilty in the court of law, ranted Teresa Kok, the Selangor DAP chief but that was what the MACC was about to do when Teoh met with his unfortunate death, fortunate though for the people who want him “silenced”.

Since a case for corruption is difficult without Teoh’s material testimony, the next best thing for the MACC was to divulge the information they secured from Teoh to the RCI and in the final analysis, the court of public opinion.

The DAP should be familiar with this - they have shamelessly seized on it every time they plot against their rivals in the Barisan Nasional. Now, they are painfully consuming huge doses of their own bad medicine.

The weeks to come before the RCI wraps up its proceedings will be crucial. What is up next will depend on how badly the DAP screams and shouts and how much they would insist on covering up with denials and distractions.

Ultimately, the DAP might try this desperate ploy - put the blame entirely on Teoh when the evidence is mounting and let a dead man take the rap. - PJ Moorthy - Malaysia Instinct

Friday, March 25, 2011

With the recent completion of the contractors briefing held by Prasarana, opposition supporters were quick to pounce on the estimated amount of the cost of building of the new MRT line from Sungai Buluh to Kajang which was dissected and analysed by CIMB research.

The talk of the town is that the figures has ballooned (from RM36 billion when first mooted by MMC Gamuda to the current estimated RM53 billion) to facilitate 'undertable' monies and linked back to UMNO.

The email being circulated also compared the figure to China's Beijing-Shanghai line which required a mere US22 billion at the time of construction (mooted in 2007, the line took three years to build and is set to begin operations in June 2011)

What seems to justify the argument is that the Shanghai-Beijing line measures 1,318km vs the Sungai Buluh-Kajang line at 150km, as such the cost of construction for the Beijing Shanghai line should be higher than the Kajang-Sungai Buluh line.

At first glance, the email does makes sense, but here is what is NOT considered by these opposition bandits;

1. The land acquisition cost in the Sungai buluh Kajang line would definitely cost more vs the Beijing-Shanghai line, as it runs through cosmopolitan and urban areas vs farm land in China, and the acquisition of land for the China line was done prior to 2007.

2. The USD exchange rate differs sharply vs what it is today.

3. Transportation cost with the cost of oil per barrel is at least 30-40% higher currently vs the China construction period which took place between 2007 and 2010.

4. Skilled labour cost in China is at least 60% lower to what is available in Malaysia

The fact that there are many emails being circulated amongst opposition supporters that aims to instill that corruption and misuse of funds are the very fact why such impression are heaped on the country. However, it does not take a genius to carefully consider what is being bandit around because a curios mind will always be able to find out hard facts that are 'hidden' from the message.

If one considers carefully what it takes to develop a country, one will not find it hard to believe that Malaysia is indeed ranked as one of the top three choices of countries to live in this part of the world.

With a world class rail transportation system set in the offing, KL will bound to challenge for top honours.

This author asks the very relevant question that is this thought to be an apple vs an apple? Similarities to the APC argument that is the song and dance of Tony Pua vs MINDEF? - PJ Moorthy, Malaysia Instinct

Thursday, March 17, 2011

t4tbh.blogspot.com - This blog has been revealing very tellingdocuments regarding DAP's source of revenue

After three forensic scientists concluded that Teoh Beng Hock’s tragic death was likely prompted by suicide or at the very least, not pre-meditated murder, the reality of the troublesome outcome may have less to do with the MACC’s negligence in not guarding him properly but more to do with the political corruption and shenanigans that Teoh was forced to confront and divulge.

A troublesome point is the baffling moments in the inquest to establish Teoh’s death, like why certain documents were ignored and relevant witnesses not called to testify. The counsel for the MACC desperately tried to raise the matter but he was ignored.

A key submission “disallowed” was when documents and witnesses – contractors of the four companies mentioned on the letterheads of the suspicious documents – were “disallowed'.

Why it is that testimony crucial to the build-up towards Teoh’s death was not given due diligence? On the other hand, why was it stonewalled?

Here’s a plausible reason: the coroner wanted to play it so safe that he had in his mind opted for an open verdict judgment from the moment he became fully aware of the tremendous implication of whatever decision he makes. He would have gotten that attitude consulting lawyers who are his friends.

Perhaps the pressure was also too much on him, perhaps he disagreed with the way the opposition was more interested in making Teoh a martyr and the MACC guilty as hell but can’t influence the flow of the inquest’s proceeding. This can only be the only possible rationale.

The people have the right to know the absolute truth but it was not to be forthcoming because of the coroner’s fear for his career and maybe his life too, not so much from physical threat, but one that will be forever chaotic by the decision he makes. Hence, a bland neutral stance which saves him and makes him a laughing stock but unwittingly conceals the truth.

While the coroner saved himself or rather, took himself out of the Teoh Beng Hock equation, the case became an international cause for strident critics of the Najib administration who would use the no-man’s land decision to capitalise on its uncertainties.

The critics, and that includes DAP’s top guns like Karpal Singh and Gobind Singh Deo, jumped on the opportunity to castigate the PM, even though he had nothing to do with the coroner’s lack of backbone.

But since the critics are crying out loud for a Royal Commission of Inquiry, the PM authorised one - with power - to probe everything when the initial RCI had limited terms and reference.

Now Karpal and Gobind are in a bind, their theatrics exposed. The RCI will no doubt revisit the scenario why the key submissions were ignored in the first place.

So they made a big fuss of the Attorney-General’s “biased” standing and even took a ridiculous dig at the RCI chairman, being a Federal Court judge, was unsuitable to helm the proceedings.

After all their wag-the-dog tactics failed, the DAP used the last ace in their sleeve – total withdrawal from the RCI in the hopes it will cast a big shadow on the commission and undermine its credibility.

Fat chance. The RCI is now so strongly independent that even the PM have no say as to how it conduct its investigations, which has the eager attention of the international community.

The RCI also knows that Malaysia's reputation is at stake but they have the chance to put things right. Their only request, which they had conveyed to Teoh’s family was: give the RCI a chance, give justice a chance. But the family, likely under the coercion of the Singh lawyers, regretfully withdrew.

Back to the issue of documents held by Teoh, the question of them being tampered is ludicrous.

Teoh kept his laptop closer to him than his girlfriend. He had his laptop with him at all the times while he was being questioned, even when the MACC considered him as a possible accomplice to the big scam of making false claims. Furthermore, the documents and the laptop were also secured by police since July 16 after Teoh died. Therefore, tampering was impossible.

Another issue is, the MACC needed Teoh for the valuable testimony he provided. Teoh or even his boss was practically nobodies to trigger a suspicious scenario where someone would want to fix them up.

But since Teoh’s death, they have became household names. They may be linked to bigger fish who have set up a well-established con job that we are now are beginning to truly understand.

If the documents were invented, it would only make more sense to ensure that the true evidence stick, to show that larger sums of money were suckered in.

Nothing about the case makes sense, from the Singhs’ theatrics to the family’s withdrawal. But now we know there was method to that madness. There is now fear in the DAP camp, especially the State Excos who have been raking in huge sums illegally for months since they won Selangor in the March 8, 2008 general election.

In a way, there is a silver lining to the Singhs withdrawal. They can’t be putting up roadblocks or red herrings to deter or distract the RCI’s progress to the point that a conclusion may come early, and not 18 months from time of death to outcome of inquest decision.

That’s why the RCI is free to examine all facts of the case, especially the documents which can be produced without someone in there trying to stop its exposure.

It is steadily becoming evident that the extent of the corruption going on was perhaps powerful enough to push Teoh to the edge. And to the probable suicide inferred by three top forensic scientists.

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About Me

An extrovert, former Editor of 'In the News' fortnightly paper
Enjoys reading, Golfing, Motoring and constantly avoiding 'Need to be seen in' events!
Occasional sipper of Brandy and exquisite Tanameras